1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an automated vehicle inspection system and more particularly to an inspection system which automatically reconfigures the inspection protocol to adapt to changes in the identity of the user of a vehicle, potentially of the vehicle operator and of the context of the inspection.
2. Description of the Problem
Commercial transport regulations provide for periodic inspection of, generation of inspection reports relating to, and documentation of maintenance on, commercial vehicles. Inspections include checking numerous operational aspects of the vehicle for conformity to normative operational standards, implementing a check off system for maintenance when indicated by inspection, as well as for scheduled maintenance, and validating the reports generated and keeping copies of the reports for a minimum time period.
Vehicle interactive on board computers (OBC) have been suggested in the art for use in implementing inspection programs directed to meeting these regulations. The OBC suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,328 was preferably a personal or lap top computer, which is used for receiving data inputs from a driver or maintenance personnel as part of an inspection, and for providing for the collection of data from various sensors placed on the vehicle. However, the '328 patent did not describe a mechanism for actually collecting data from vehicle sensors. The OBC may electronically store inspection reports, and provide copies of the same on a display or be used to reproduce copies in hard copy form.
Contemporary designs for the control and management of vehicle components increasingly rely on methods derived from computer networking. Digital data is exchanged between component controllers over a common physical layer such as a twisted shielded pair of wires. Intelligible communication between two or more device controllers among a greater plurality of devices, all occurring over the common physical layer, depends upon the communicating devices being able to discriminate among messages they receive and to respond to those messages directed to them. Such methods are well known in the art and are part of the standards which the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has published and continues to publish as part of the SAE J1939 protocol and the OBC may readily be configured to operate with these networks by an adaptor. The J1939 protocol provides an open protocol and a definition of the performance requirements of the medium of the physical layer, but also allows for development of proprietary protocols. The SAE J1939 protocol is a specialized application of a controlled area network (CAN) and may be readily implemented utilizing commercial integrated circuits such as the C167 Integrated Circuit from Siemens of Germany.
Digital data communications over serial data paths are an effective technique for reducing the number of dedicated communication paths between the numerous switches, sensors, devices and gauges installed on the vehicles. Multiplexing the signals to and from local controllers and switches promises greater physical simplicity through displacing much of the vehicle wiring harness, reducing manufacturing costs, facilitating vehicle electrical load management, and enhancing system reliability.
Vehicle network communication systems also offer opportunities for increasing automation in vehicle functions. Implementation of an automated inspection system over a vehicle controller area network was taught in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,977 to Miller. U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,977 is assigned the assignee of the present patent and is expressly incorporated herein by reference. In Miller's system a combination of automatic and prompted data collection helps drivers effect the efficient and complete collection of data required for commercial vehicle operation. The inspection protocol was systemized through a sequence represented by a flow chart. However, notwithstanding partial automation of the inspection process and the assistance provided to a driver by prior art systems in performing the manual aspects of an inspection, there exist other vehicle users who could be helped by improving the adaptability of the inspection programming.